


Promises

by Lesca Fenix (lescafenix)



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-15
Updated: 2011-02-15
Packaged: 2017-10-15 16:31:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/162718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lescafenix/pseuds/Lesca%20Fenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud is finally ready to start making promises he can keep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

“What took you so long this time?” Marlene stands accusingly, hands on her hips much like her adoptive mother. “You said you’d be back in two days. You were gone over a week!”

Cloud sighs and shrugs. “I had things I had to do.”

“You always have things you have to do!” Marlene stomps her foot. “You leave Tifa and Denzel and me here alone, and Tifa has to work so hard. You promised, Cloud! You promised!”

He looks around and urges Marlene into her and Denzel’s room. He pushes the door closed behind them, and turns to face the eight-year-old’s wrath.

“You’re always working. You said things would change after the Geostigma, but they just went back to the way they were. You promised you’d take a day off and spend it just with us. You promised that you’d stop running. You promised!” Marlene’s dark eyes are bright with tears.

Cloud sinks to one knee and grasps Marlene’s slender shoulders. “I’m trying,” he says. “Some things don’t heal as fast as the Geostigma.”

Marlene jerks away and turns her back to Cloud, arms crossed. Her shoulders tremble. “I promised Tifa too, Cloud,” she whispers.

“Promised her what?” Cloud asks.

“I promised her she’d never have to cry because of you.” Marlene turns back around and stabs an accusing finger at Cloud. “She’s never cried about you, Cloud. Never! Every time she gets close she makes herself stop. I saw her after you hung up on her yesterday. She’d heard about the accident near Kalm and she was worried! You hung up on her! You wouldn’t even tell her where you were. She was going to cry, but I helped her stop. I promised her she wouldn’t ever have to cry. I promised her, and _I_ keep my promises.”

Cloud swears and rubs his hands over his face. “Okay, Marlene. Okay. Look.” He takes a deep breath and digs into his pocket for a velvet pouch. “I didn’t want her to know I was in Kalm. I didn’t want her to ask questions.”

“Tifa never asks questions,” Marlene says. She’s suspicious, but she inches closer to Cloud to examine the pouch.

“I was afraid she’d start.” Cloud shakes the contents of the pouch into this palm. The mythril band is composed of two strands of the precious metal twisted together, delicate yet strong. Mounted within is a single, small diamond.

“Cloud!” Marlene gasps. She throws her arms around his neck and nearly knocks him over with the force of her hug, then peppers Cloud’s face with dozens of joyful kisses.

“I’m ready to make her a promise, too,” Cloud says, laughing a little at Marlene’s overjoyed reaction. Cloud kisses her cheek as well, before they’re both surprised by the door opening.

“What’s going on?” Denzel pokes his head into the room and frowns at Marlene’s flushed face.

“Is everything all right?” Tifa asks as she pushes the door fully open from behind Denzel.

“Everything’s fine,” Cloud says from the floor. He looks up at Tifa. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you...”

**Author's Note:**

> For the [2011 Final Fantasy Kiss Battle](http://seventhe.dreamwidth.org/45284.html). Prompt: Cloud/Marlene, Familial kiss over a gift.


End file.
